Wednesday, 8 June 2022

 Mr DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan—Leader of the Opposition) (17:38): I want to change the tone in the chamber, if I can, and refer to the veterans output in the budget and note the importance of this year and a number of the commemorations that have occurred this year. There may be a number in the chamber who will agree with my points on these matters.

I want to first of all draw attention to the Mediterranean campaign. I have been to a number of important commemorations over recent weeks. The Hellenic Presidential Guard was present at the Kalamata battle commemoration. This was an important battle, as people will be aware. The Nazis invaded Greece on 6 April 1941 and pushed through Greece to drive out New Zealand, British and some Australian troops as well as the many Greek brigades that fought for their homeland through that period. By 29 April, the end of the Battle of Kalamata, they were forced off the Greek mainland and the Nazis were in control of the Greek mainland.

I think it is important to note the work of the Society of Kalamata in commemorating these points and the presence of the Hellenic Presidential Guard at the commemoration that occurred recently—on 23 April in fact—and to remember too that Kalamata is very important to the Greek community, remembering back to 1821, 23 March, and the important work that occurred in freeing Greece and providing it with an independent national status.

It is also important to note the Battle of Crete and the 81st commemoration of that important battle. Many of the 50 000 evacuees—there were 8000 captured from Kalamata—were removed by the Royal Navy, largely to Crete. The 81st commemoration of Crete was on 22 May, again at the shrine, and I was very much moved by some of the discussion at that commemoration. The Battle of Crete was a very hard-fought battle. Again, there was a significant evacuation between the end of May and early June. Australians, New Zealanders, British troops and a number of the brigades from local areas in Crete were evacuated at that time. The Nazis also took control of Crete. It is important to think what this meant for local people. It is important to remember the heroic response of locals but also the commonwealth forces that fought alongside those people in Crete and in Greece in 1941 and beyond.

I also want to note that through this period there has been the very significant 80th anniversary of the very important Battle of the Coral Sea, which for Australia is such a seminal moment in terms of defending our country and understanding the importance of the American alliance. It was significant in a historical context, but also looking forward and seeing the risks in the Asia-Pacific region that we face at the moment. I was again fortunate to attend the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea. I saw Greg Mirabella speak there, and indeed the minister in the chamber, the Minister for Veterans, was present.

Sam Muscat from the Australian American Association was instrumental in ensuring that this commemoration received the significant focus that it actually deserved, reminding people here of the period between 4 and 8 May in 1942 when Australia was in a very desperate position. A Japanese armada, aircraft carriers and significant troop ships were heading towards Port Moresby. Although in some senses the Battle of the Coral Sea was a tactical loss, it was a strategic victory because Australia’s future was assured. The ships were turned back. Japanese aircraft carriers were sunk. I was very happy to sit next to Bruce Cowell, a World War II veteran from the HMS Australia. He was a very impressive man— (Time expired)